Mobile ESPN
Mobile ESPN was a
Application
Mobile ESPN's key feature was a sports application that could access news, highlights, and scores. The
Content
The content was managed by an editorial team that created original content and repurposed content from ESPN.com's web site to fit the phone format, thus most of the website's content would be on Moblie ESPN. On-air mentions of Mobile ESPN during programming such as SportsCenter, especially phone-in segments (which featured graphics of Mobile ESPN handsets rather than the common genericized renderings of mobile phones used by most news organizations), suggested that the network's on-air staff was contractually bound to use it.
On September 2, 2006, Mobile ESPN streamed the first live sporting event broadcast on a mobile device in the United States. Fans could watch live coverage from Ann Arbor as Michigan defeated Vanderbilt, 27–7.
Handsets
Mobile ESPN had only one phone available at launch, the Sanyo MVP, that retailed for as much as US$399. By July 2006, the handset was available for free with a rebate and a two-year commitment to the service. In summer 2006, ESPN rolled out the Samsung ACE (SPH-A900), which resembled Motorola's
Service plans
The lowest price plan offered at launch was a $34.95 plan that only included 100 minutes and no bonuses such as free nights and weekends. The lowest plan comparable to that offered by major carriers was a $64.95 plan which included 400 minutes of talk time and unlimited nights and weekends. In May 2006, new plans were rolled out at various price points, including a $40 monthly plan with 400 anytime minutes, free nights and weekends, and stripped-down data service. Though the cost of the full-service, 400 minute plan remained $64.95, the result was that users were allowed more freedom to pick and choose the services they wanted.
Marketing
ESPN invested heavily in promotion of the service. ESPN bought its first
Distribution
At first, ESPN Mobile phones were only available at retailers such as
Failure
Early results for Mobile ESPN were disappointing. Initially, ESPN was reported to have projected as many as 240,000 subscribers for the service, but the
Legacy
Though the MVNO service was overall a failure, the software, audio/video components, data stream and other
References
- ^ "ESPN's Cell-Phone Fumble". businessweek.com. Archived from the original on 2011-08-04.
- ^ a b Gordon, Aaron (29 April 2015). "The Embarrassing Failure That Made ESPN a Mobile Juggernaut". Vice.com. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ "Steve Jobs: "Your phone is the dumbest f***ing idea I have ever heard"". OS X Daily. 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- .
- ^ Miller, Shales, James Andrew, Tom. Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN (PDF). p. 623.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - AdWeek, February 1, 2006.
- Advertising Age, February 5, 2006.
- ^ Jenn Abelson, "Local Advertising Team Tackles Super Bowl Spot; Arnold Worldwide Works Seven Months on High-Stakes Investment for Mobile ESPN, The Boston Globe, February 5, 2006.
- ^ "Arnold's ESPN ad 'Super'.(Business) – The Boston Herald". 2015-09-24. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
- .
- ^ Anthony Crupi. "Merill Lynch: Time to Pull Plug on Mobile ESPN". www.mediaweek.com. Archived from the original on 2007-02-21.
- ^ The Embarrassing Failure That Made ESPN a Mobile Juggernaut, Reuters, Aaron Gordon, April 29, 2015. Retrieved 2018-10-08